Let’s get the obvious out of the way. The Xbox 360 version of Kane’s Wrath is inferior to the PC version in a million little ways. You can’t really interact with the mini-map. The multiplayer lobby is barren, a sign that RTS gamers still aren’t making the leap to consoles so long as there is a computer option. If you’ve already played this campaign, the chance to get 360 achievements stuck by your name is poor compensation for seeing the same over the top acting performances.

First, the pace is a little last frantic than in the PC version. Command and Conquer 3 is still a very fast game, but there seems to be a little more time to get things planned out this time around. Part of it is that the AI is not terribly aggressive, especially in comparison to the original game. But besides that, it seems that the construction times have been subtly adjusted to give you time to deal with the not quite perfect placement controls.

Like Supreme Commander, the game has adapted to the console environment through radial menus. You have them for build orders, upgrades, group management, special powers and the like. They are serviceable, mostly because EA uses just enough flashing and zooming to let you know what is going on. Tying the description of things to the left trigger isn’t especially useful – there’s no time for reading in even a moderately slower Command and Conquer. And sometimes having to hold down three buttons/triggers/levers just to see what you want isn’t a wise idea.

The tutorial is pretty good at getting you up to speed, though; curiously, it doesn’t have a learning section for building secondary structures – turrets, anti-air, base expansion vehicles, silos and the like. I somehow figured it out, which is a testament to how familiar you will get with how things work.

One big problem is that the many subfactions don’t stand out all that clearly from each other. To be fair, this was an issue with the PC game, as well. Small variations on GDI, Nod and the Scrin can be hard to distinguish in the throes of battle. But these differences become even less apparent when the interface makes it difficult to seek out and activate a unit’s special powers. If you love using commandoes or Scrin mind powers, you may find it difficult to track your targets with the sticks. To the game’s credit, special units like engineers and commandoes can be cycled with the D-pad, but the game doesn’t center on the selected unit so you need to be careful not to cancel an order you’ve already given Engineer #1 as you look for Engineer #2.